How to speed up S40 and quiet it down, 1/2 second quicker and a lot less lens movement Options

[yetinme]

Now the bad news. I was playing around with the optical switches Travis found so we could try to figure out how to keep the lens from moving at all and it doesn't look promising. I have the pins on the connector figured out and I think we know how they work but there is just no place to solder to. These things are mounted on a ribbon cable and then come out to pins on the flex cable. This picture is one from Travis showing where the switches are at.

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[FznYupr]

The contacts in there are about as big as fly poop.

On a nother note. I tested the S40 in total darkness in the basement. 13 yards to far wall.

This is were the s40 cannot compete with the P41 but total darknees speed has improved to 3.21 seconds. Not too bad. what do you think?


Click on picture to play video. 530k 23seconds

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Travis

[MIbucks]

Well, I got curious and started ripping into one of these as well.

From what I'm seeing, a mechanical way of tricking the cam may be a possibility. The only problem with Travis's idea about the bottom ring is that the complete motion seems to go from one optical sensor to the next, would the cam ignore the fact that it went through 1/4 the work it normally would to get to that point?

Also, I wouldn't dismiss soldering to the pins on the ribbon cable if you've figured out how to manually do it. Some of that stuff is a whole lot tougher than you'd think.

I was also thinking that not only does this assembly tell the cam when the lens is in or out, but also exactly where it currently is through it's range of motion. Would messing with that have any adverse affects on focus, among other things?

Assuming the cam uses only those sensors at the bottom of the barrel to determine the position of the lenses, it looks as though we can mechanically lock out the lens assembly by simply removing the pins on the two inner assemblies at a optimum extension point and securing them to the 3 guide rails. The outer ring would just spin at that point and the cam would think all's well...... but I feel that this is one of those things that works really well in my head and no where else. Obviously I'm not as well versed as you guys when it comes to this stuff, but it's still fun to try.

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[FznYupr]

Good Info MIbucks,

Maybe another thing to try is with the lens disassembled connect it back up to the camera, power up and start passing someting through the sensor(s) manually to determing if both are used or not?

Travis

[rsmith]

I wish I had a dead one to take apart so I could really picture what you guys are talking about.

Having trouble following the shutter switch sequence. Can anyone explain? Any way to use a jumper from the internal signal to the lens cover motor to either enable the camera to be used manually or eliminate the need for a 4th wire? Shouldn't there be a signal to use there after power off?

[FznYupr]

I wish I had a dead one to take apart so I could really picture what you guys are talking about.

Having trouble following the shutter switch sequence. Can anyone explain? Any way to use a jumper from the internal signal to the lens cover motor to either enable the camera to be used manually or eliminate the need for a 4th wire? Shouldn't there be a signal to use there after power off?

The shutter switch signal works the simular to the power signal logic it's just closed the whole time not pulsed. Have to use the 4th wire.

Not sure what you mean with this question :

Shouldn't there be a signal to use there after power off?

Travis

Edited statement made a mistake.

This post has been edited by FznYupr: Jan 8 2007, 09:43 PM

[rsmith]

When does the board open and close the closed cover switch?

What I meant with the signal after power is could the open cover switch be closed with a signal from the motor after the power is shut off? It would then be opened after the power is turned on. That's the normal sequence. Or does this switch need to be open at power on to get the benefit?

Don't mean to waste you guys' time - I don't know much about electronics!

[FznYupr]

When does the board open and close the closed cover switch?

Close it at power on and release at power off

What I meant with the signal after power is could the open cover switch be closed with a signal from the motor after the power is shut off? It would then be opened after the power is turned on. That's the normal sequence. Or does this switch need to be open at power on to get the benefit?

Don't mean to waste you guys' time - I don't know much about electronics!

We are making the open switch at power up so the camera thinks it can extend the lens and we are releasing it at power off so it doesn’t retract back in the camera like it currently does.

I think it has to be a four-wire mod though. That’s the only way you can prevent any lens movement on a refresh. So now with Marks mod the lens doesn't have to move on a refresh saving on the "wear and tear" of the lens.

Make sense?


Travis